Federal Register Notice - CoE Opportunity to Apply

Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 206 / Friday, October 23, 2020 / Notices
must set forth the reasons and basis for
the proposed adjustment and any other
information the program manager
determines would help SJI’s review. All
requests for Grant Adjustments must be
submitted via the SJI GMS.

statement of the candidate’s
qualifications should be sent to SJI for
review and approval. The grant may be
terminated if the qualifications of the
proposed individual are not approved in
advance by SJI.

C. Notification of Approval/Disapproval
If the request is approved, the grantee
will be sent a Grant Adjustment signed
by the SJI Executive Director. If the
request is denied, the grantee will be
sent a written explanation of the reasons
for the denial.

H. Transferring or Contracting Out of
Grant-Supported Activities

D. Changes in the Scope of the Grant
Major changes in scope, duration,
training methodology, or other
significant areas must be approved in
advance by SJI. A grantee may make
minor changes in methodology,
approach, or other aspects of the grant
to expedite achievement of the grant’s
objectives with subsequent notification
to SJI.
E. Date Changes
A request to change or extend the
grant period must be made at least 30
days in advance of the end date of the
grant. A revised task plan should
accompany a request for an extension of
the grant period, along with a revised
budget if shifts among budget categories
will be needed. A request to change or
extend the deadline for the final
financial report or final progress report
must be made at least 14 days in
advance of the report deadline.

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F. Temporary Absence of the Project
Director
Whenever an absence of the project
director is expected to exceed a
continuous period of 1 month, the plans
for the conduct of the project director’s
duties during such absence must be
approved in advance by SJI. This
information must be provided in a letter
signed by an authorized representative
of the grantee or sub-grantee at least 30
days before the departure of the project
director, or as soon as it is known that
the project director will be absent. The
grant may be terminated if arrangements
are not approved in advance by SJI.
G. Withdrawal of or Change in Project
Director
If the project director relinquishes or
expects to relinquish active direction of
the project, SJI must be notified
immediately. In such cases, if the
grantee or sub-grantee wishes to
terminate the project, SJI will forward
procedural instructions upon
notification of such intent. If the grantee
wishes to continue the project under the
direction of another individual, a

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No principal activity of a grantsupported project may be transferred or
contracted out to another organization
without specific prior approval by SJI.
All such arrangements must be
formalized in a contract or other written
agreement between the parties involved.
Copies of the proposed contract or
agreement must be submitted for prior
approval to SJI at the earliest possible
time. The contract or agreement must
state, at a minimum, the activities to be
performed, the time schedule, the
policies and procedures to be followed,
the dollar limitation of the agreement,
and the cost principles to be followed in
determining what costs, both direct and
indirect, will be allowed. The contract
or other written agreement must not
affect the grantee’s overall responsibility
for the direction of the project and
accountability to SJI.
State Justice Institute Board of
Directors
Hon. John Minton (Chair), Chief Justice,
Supreme Court of Kentucky, Frankfort, KY
Daniel Becker (Vice Chair), State Court
Administrator (ret.), Utah Administrative
Office of the Courts, Salt Lake City, UT
Hon. Gayle A. Nachtigal (Secretary), Senior
Circuit Court Judge, Washington County
Circuit Court, Hillsboro, OR
Hon. David Brewer (Treasurer), Justice,
Supreme Court of Oregon, Salem, OR
Hon. Jonathan Lippman, Chief Judge of the
State of New York (ret.); Of Counsel,
Latham & Watkins, LLP, New York, NY
Hon. Chase Rogers, Chief Justice (ret.),
Supreme Court of Connecticut; Partner,
Day Pitney, LLP, Hartford, CT
Hon. Wilfredo Martinez, Senior Judge, 9th
Judicial Circuit of Florida, Orlando, FL
Marsha J. Rabiteau, President & CEO, Center
for Human Trafficking Court Solutions,
Bloomfield, CT
Hernan D. Vera, Principal, Bird Marella P.C.,
Los Angeles, CA
Isabel Framer, President, Language Access
Consultants LLC, Copley, OH
Jonathan D. Mattiello, Executive Director (ex
officio)
Jonathan D. Mattiello,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 2020–23555 Filed 10–22–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820–SC–P

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[Docket Number MARAD–2018–0088]

Center of Excellence for Domestic
Maritime Workforce; Notice of
Opportunity To Apply for Training and
Education Designation
Maritime Administration,
Department of Transportation.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:

This notice invites eligible
and qualified training entities to apply
to the Maritime Administration
(MARAD) for designation as a Center of
Excellence for Domestic Maritime
Workforce Training and Education
(CoE). The National Defense
Authorization Act of 2018 (the Act)
provided the Secretary of
Transportation with the discretionary
authority to designate eligible and
qualified entities as CoEs. CoE
designations will serve to assist the
maritime industry in obtaining and
maintaining the highest quality
workforce. On March 6, 2020, the
agency published a final notice in the
Federal Register announcing its
voluntary program to identify and
recommend qualified training providers
for CoE designation and the agency
intent to obtain a current Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) control
number for the information collection
requirements resulting from this action.
OMB has since approved an information
collection control number for collecting
CoE applications. The purpose of this
notice is to solicit applications from
eligible and qualified training entities
for CoE designation.
DATES: Applications, including all
supporting information and documents,
must be submitted by 8:00 p.m. E.D.T.
on December 22, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Applications, including all
supporting information and documents,
must be submitted via electronic mail to
[email protected]. The original
application letter, including one copy of
all supporting information and
documents, may also be submitted by
mail addressed to U.S. Department of
Transportation, Maritime
Administration, Deputy Associate
Administrator for Maritime Education
and Training, Attention: CoE
Designation Program,1200 New Jersey
Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nuns Jain, Maritime Administration, at
[email protected] or at 757–322–5801.
You may send mail to Nuns Jain at
Maritime Administration, Building 19,
SUMMARY:

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Suite 300, 7737 Hampton Boulevard,
Norfolk, VA 23505.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Following
the enactment of the National Defense
Authorization Act of 2018, Public Law
115–91 (the ‘‘Act’’), codified at 46
U.S.C. 54102, MARAD developed a
procedure to recommend to the
Secretary the designation of eligible
institutions as Centers of Excellence for
Domestic Maritime Workforce Training
and Education (CoE). Pursuant to the
Act, the Secretary of Transportation may
designate certain eligible and qualified
training entities as CoEs and may
subsequently execute Cooperative
Agreements with CoE designees.
Authority to administer the CoE
program is delegated to MARAD in 49
CFR 1.93(a).
Qualified training entities seeking to
be designated as a CoE need to apply to
MARAD. MARAD has developed this
policy to provide interested parties with
comprehensive agency guidance on how
to apply for CoE designation and how
the CoE program will be administered.
Applications should include
information to demonstrate that the
applicant institution meets certain
eligibility requirements, selection
criteria, and qualitative attributes
consistent with Section 3507 of the Act.
The MARAD application procedure
and program details are listed below
and are also available to the public on
its website at https://
www.maritime.dot.gov/education/
maritime-centers-excellence.
Prior Federal Action
As the first step in developing a CoE
policy, MARAD issued a Federal
Register notice requesting comments on
its proposed application process
entitled Centers of Excellence for
Domestic Maritime Workforce Training
and Education, 83 FR 25109 (May 31,
2018). In response to the notice, we
received 18 written comments. On July
19, 2019, MARAD published another
notice (84 FR 34994) in which MARAD
responded to comments received and
sought comments on the proposed
policy to which five comments were
received. On March 6, 2020, MARAD
published its final CoE designation
policy in the Federal Register (85 FR
13231) in which MARAD responded to
comments received and sought new
comments to the Office of Management
and Budget on the information
collection requirements in the CoE
designation policy to which no
comments were received. All the
unabridged comments are available for
review electronically at
www.regulations.gov by searching DOT
Docket Id ‘‘MARAD–2018–0088’’ or by

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visiting the DOT Docket, Room PL–401,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE,
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except for
Federal Holidays.
Applicant Assistance
To assist applicants to be designated
as a Center of Excellence for Domestic
Maritime Workforce Training and
Education, please find below MARAD’s
policy to include recommendations on
how best to apply.
MARAD Center of Excellence for
Domestic Maritime Workforce Training
and Education Designation Policy
This policy describes the process
through which MARAD will exercise its
discretionary authority to designate
Centers of Excellence for Domestic
Maritime Workforce Training and
Education.
How To Be Designated a Center of
Excellence for Domestic Maritime
Workforce Training and Education
Introduction
The Secretary of Transportation,
acting through the Maritime
Administrator, may designate certain
eligible and qualified training entities as
Centers of Excellence for Domestic
Maritime Workforce Training and
Education (CoE) and may subsequently
execute Cooperative Agreements with
CoE designees. MARAD has developed
the CoE Program to provide interested
parties with comprehensive agency
guidance on how best to apply for CoE
designation. However, conformity with
this CoE applicant guidance, except to
the extent that it references statutory
requirements, is voluntary only.
MARAD will review and consider all
applications it receives and may contact
applicants with questions to assist in
reviewing their applications. The CoE
Program is a voluntary program. Each
eligible and qualified training entity is
free to decide whether it wishes to
participate in the program and apply for
a CoE designation.
Eligible training entities seeking to be
designated as a CoE are welcome to
apply with MARAD. The application
should include information to
demonstrate that the applicant
institution meets certain eligibility
criteria, designation requirements, and
attributes consistent with 46 U.S.C.
54102.
Key Terms
The following list of key terms are
either directly taken from the statute or
have been developed by MARAD or
from comments received from the
public during our earlier notice and

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comment period. The list is intended to
assist applicants by providing context
and insight into the approval process. If
you believe that your institution
qualifies for CoE designee status under
an alternate interpretation or by
qualifications not otherwise clearly
articulated in the statute, please provide
a cogent justification for any such
alternative and it will be given due
consideration during our review.
1. ‘‘Afloat Career’’ is a term developed
by MARAD to mean a career as a
merchant mariner compensated for
service aboard a vessel in the U.S.
Maritime Industry.
2. ‘‘Arctic’’ as explicitly stated in the
statute means all United States and
foreign territory north of the Arctic
Circle and all United States territory
north and west of the boundary formed
by the Porcupine, Yukon, and
Kuskokwim Rivers; all contiguous seas,
including the Arctic Ocean and the
Beaufort, Bering, and Chukchi Seas; and
the Aleutian chain. [Section 112 of the
Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984,
codified at 15 U.S.C. 4111];
3. ‘‘Ashore Career’’ is a term
developed by MARAD to mean a shorebased compensated occupation in the
United States Maritime Industry.
4. ‘‘Community or Technical College’’
is interpreted by MARAD to mean an
institution of higher education that—
a. admits as regular students, persons
who are beyond the age of compulsory
school attendance, or are enrolled in a
high school and concurrently are
participating in a dual credit or similar
program, in the State in which the
institution is located or in an adjoining
State or region; and
b. has primary focus on awarding
Associate (or equivalent) degrees; and
c. provides an educational program
that is acceptable for full credit toward
a bachelor’s or equivalent degree or that
may culminate in a professional or
technical certificate or credential,
stackable certificates and credentials,
and/or two-year degree;
5. ‘‘Maritime Training Center’’ is
interpreted by MARAD to mean a
training institution that:
a. Does not grant baccalaureate or
higher levels of academic degree;
b. is not a ‘‘Community or Technical
College’’; and
c. provides a structured program of
training courses to prepare students
and/or enhance their skills for Afloat
Careers and/or Ashore Careers in the
United States Maritime Industry.
6. ‘‘Mississippi River System’’ is
interpreted by MARAD to mean the
mostly riverine network of the United
States which includes the Mississippi
River, and all connecting waterways,

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natural tributaries and distributaries.
The system includes the Arkansas,
Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Red, Allegheny,
Tennessee, Wabash and Atchafalaya
rivers. Important connecting waterways
include the Illinois Waterway, the
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, and
the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
7. ‘‘Operated by, or under the
supervision of, a State’’ is interpreted by
MARAD to mean operated by or under
the supervision of a public entity of a
State government or one of its
subdivisions, as well as county
governments, and city or local
governments;
a. ‘‘operated by’’ a State is interpreted
by MARAD to mean that the State
controls or provides direct oversight to
the Maritime Training Center or the
Community or Technical College
through:
i. a State charter process, or other
equivalent documents and system; and
ii. a State oversight body.
b. ‘‘under the supervision of a State’’
is interpreted by MARAD to mean that
the State oversees in some manner the
Maritime Training Center or the
Community or Technical College
through at least one of the following
means:
i. Accreditation or similar review,
validation, and approval by a public
entity of the State government or one of
its subdivisions as well as, county
governments, and city or local
governments;
ii. Registration approval by a State
Apprenticeship Agency (SAA), in
accordance with 29 CFR part 29, of an
apprenticeship program offered by the
Maritime Training Center to qualified
students from the public; or
iii. Other means which demonstrate to
MARAD that the State is supervising the
educational process for which a CoE
designation is sought.
c. ‘‘State’’ is interpreted by MARAD to
mean a State of the United States, the
District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto
Rico, the Virgin Islands, American
Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands,
and any other territory or possession of
the United States.
d. ‘‘United States Maritime Industry’’
is a term developed by MARAD that
includes all segments of the maritimerelated transportation system of the
United States, both in domestic and
foreign trade, coastal and inland waters,
as well as non-commercial maritime
activities, such as pleasure boating,
marine sciences (including all scientific
research vessels) and all of the
industries that support such uses,
including, but not limited to vessel
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berthing, port operations, port
intermodal operations, marine terminal
operations, vessel design, marine
brokerage, marine insurance, marine
financing, chartering, maritime-oriented
supply chain operations, offshore
industry and maritime-oriented research
and development.
Applicant Information
1. Who is eligible to apply for
designation as a center of excellence for
domestic maritime workforce training
and education (CoE)?
Participation in the CoE program is
entirely voluntary for an eligible
educational institution. An eligible
educational institution is not required to
seek a CoE designation. Under the
statute, an educational institution that
provides training and education for the
domestic maritime workforce is eligible
to apply so long as it meets the
following criteria:
a. An institution located in a State
that borders on at least one of the
following bodies of water:
1. Gulf of Mexico;
2. Atlantic Ocean;
3. Long Island Sound;
4. Pacific Ocean;
5. Great Lakes;
6. Mississippi River System;
7. Arctic; or
8. Gulf of Alaska.
b. The institution is:
1. A Community or Technical College;
or
2. A Maritime Training Center—
i. Operated by, or under the
supervision of a State; and
ii. With a maritime training program
in operation in its curriculum on 12/12/
2017; or
3. A group of Community or
Technical Colleges and/or Maritime
Training Centers that:
i. Consists only of members that meet
the eligibility criteria at (1)(a) and either
(1)(b)(1) or (1)(b)(2), and the selection
criteria under (2);
ii. Names a member of such group as
a lead entity. The lead entity will serve
as the primary point of contact with
MARAD and will be responsible for all
duties, including administrative, legal
and financial, as related to the CoE
designation. For example, the lead
entity is responsible for submitting the
CoE application, responding to any
inquiries from MARAD, and
coordinating and executing any
cooperative agreements with MARAD;
and
iii. Has a legally binding agreement
signed by all members. That agreement
must include the name of the group,
which will receive the CoE designation

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67601

if one is granted, and list the lead entity
and its responsibilities consistent with
(ii) of this section.
2. How does MARAD interpret the
selection criteria for CoE designation?
I. Assuming no alternative
qualifications are provided, MARAD
will consider applicants eligible for
designation if they can demonstrate
compliance with all the following
criteria:
a. The academic programs offered by
the institution include:
1. One or more Afloat Career
preparation tracks in the United States
Maritime Industry, and/or
2. One or more Ashore Career
preparation tracks in the United States
Maritime Industry.
b. Applicant institutions offering
Afloat Career and/or Ashore Career
tracks have been accredited as follows:
1. ‘‘Community or Technical
Colleges’’ hold current accreditation of
the institution from a Regional
Accreditation Agency or a Nationally
Recognized Agency on the list of
Accrediting Agencies approved by the
U.S. Department of Education.
2. ‘‘Maritime Training Centers’’ hold
current accreditation—
i. either of the institution, from a
Regional Accreditation Agency or a
Nationally Recognized Agency on the
list of Accrediting Agencies approved
by the U.S. Department of Education; or
ii. of the maritime training program
offered by the institution from either:
A. The State Apprenticeship Agency
(SAA) in accordance with 29 CFR part
29,
B. the State’s Department of
Education or equivalent State agency,
C. the United States Coast Guard
(USCG), or
D. other appropriate external review
body which is specifically authorized to
review and validate post-secondary
education programs and is acceptable to
MARAD.
c. As applicable, maintain USCG
approval for the merchant mariner
training program and/or merchant
mariner training course(s) offered by the
institution.
d. Provide data and statistics to
demonstrate institutional and/or
program effectiveness. This should
include, but is not limited to,
recruitment data, past/current
enrollment (trends), attrition rates,
student program completion data, postprogram job and placement statistics (to
the extent available to the institution),
and program effectiveness feedback
from students, faculty, alumni, and
other stakeholders.
e. As applicable, maintain
authorization and/or endorsement of the

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program and/or course(s) by an
applicable professional society or
industry body (including, but not
limited to Welding, Electrician,
Electronics, Maritime Construction,
Maritime Logistics, Maritime Systems,
etc.) to issue industry accepted
certifications that reflect professional
recognition of the level of educational or
technical skill achievement.
II. Additional factors to be considered
may include the following qualitative
attributes fostered by the institution:
a. Supporting workforce needs of the
local, state, or regional economy;
b. Building Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math (STEM)
competencies of local/future workforce
through maritime programs to meet
emerging local, regional, and national
economic interests;
c. Promoting diversity and inclusion
among the student body;
d. Offering a broad-based curriculum
and stackable credentials where
applicable;
e. Engaging and/or collaborating with
the maritime industry including, but not
limited to employers, associations, and
other industry organizations or partners;
f. Engaging and/or collaborating with
employer-led maritime training
practices and programs through Sector
Partnerships as authorized in the 2014
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act Section 3(26);
g. Engaging and/or collaborating with
local and regional maritime high
schools or other high schools with
maritime, maritime related, Career
Technical Education (CTE) or STEM
programs;
h. Engaging and/or collaborating with
maritime academies as appropriate and
other applicable institutions or
organizations for advanced proficiency
and higher education; and
i. Conducting other significant
domestic maritime workforce
development related activities.
3. What agreement may MARAD
execute with a designated CoE?
Designation as a COE does not entitle
any entity to any federal funding and
does not necessarily lead to a
cooperative agreement with MARAD.
The Maritime Administrator, or
designee, may enter into a cooperative
agreement with a CoE to support
maritime workforce training and
education, including but not limited to,
efforts of the CoE to:
a. Recruit, admit, and train students;
b. Recruit and train faculty;
c. Expand or enhance facilities;
d. Create new maritime career
pathways;
e. Award students credit for prior
experience, including military service;

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f. Expand and improve employer-led
maritime training practices and
programs through the establishment of
Sector Partnerships as authorized in the
2014 Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act Section 3(26); and
g. Conduct such other CoE activities
that are determined by MARAD to
further maritime workforce training and
education.
4. What specific assistance may MARAD
offer to a designated CoE under a
cooperative agreement?
By entering into a cooperative
agreement, MARAD may be able to offer
the following types of assistance:
a. Donation of surplus equipment to
CoEs that also meet the requirements of
46 U.S.C. 51103(b)(2)(C);
b. Temporary use of MARAD vessels
and assets for indoctrination, training,
and assistance, subject to availability
and approval by MARAD and the
Department of Defense when applicable.
For any CoE requests relating to
temporary use of a MARAD Training
Ship operated by a State Maritime
Academy, the MARAD approval process
will include consultation with that
Academy;
c. Availability of MARAD subject
matter experts to address students when
feasible; and
d. Funding, to the extent such funds
are properly appropriated and made
available for this purpose.
Implementation and Administration
MARAD will evaluate the applicant’s
supporting documentation and either
approve or disapprove the request for
designation. During the evaluation of
the application and the supporting
documentation, MARAD may request
clarifications or additional information
from the applicant. Upon approval, the
Maritime Administrator or his/her
designee will make a designation.
MARAD will thereafter publish the
CoE’s name and contact information on
its website. After issuance of the
designation, MARAD may enter into a
cooperative agreement with the CoE.
5. When and where should I submit my
application for designation?
a. MARAD will publish notifications
in the Federal Register and on its
website at the beginning of March each
year seeking applications on or before
June 1. This should provide applicants
a minimum of 60 days to prepare and
submit their applications.
b. An eligible training entity seeking
designation as a CoE may submit
applications, including all supporting
information and documents, by email to
[email protected] or by mail

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addressed as follows: Department of
Transportation, Maritime
Administration, Deputy Associate
Administrator for Maritime Education
and Training, Attention: CoE
Designation Program, 1200 New Jersey
Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20590.
6. How will I know the outcome of my
designation request application?
MARAD will notify each applicant of
the status of their designation request.
During the evaluation period, MARAD
may request clarification or additional
information from the applicant.
7. Does my CoE designation expire?
CoE designations are identified by
year (e.g., X has been designated a
Center of Excellence for Domestic
Maritime Workforce Training and
Education for 2020). Successful
applicants can apply each year for
designation.
How To Apply for a CoE Designation
8. What should be included in my CoE
designation application?
Special Instructions: To assist
MARAD in its review of your
application and to ensure that your
application is identified as complete,
your institution should provide only
concise and relevant information and
supporting documentation to
demonstrate your eligibility and
compliance with the statutory
designation criteria. To that end,
MARAD encourages your institution to
ensure that each responsive section and
each page of any document or enclosure
in your application clearly references
the question number(s) and section(s)
listed in this guidance and or the
statute. See the below examples:
Example 1. ‘‘Mar Ex’’ is eligible for the
CoE program as a community college.
(Q10, Section I(c)). Please find enclosed
our Articles of Incorporation, Certificate
of Status, State supervision and
validation document. (Q10, Section
I(c)(1–3).
Example 2. ‘‘Mar Ex’’ is enclosing the
following supporting documents to
demonstrate that our Maritime Training
Center offers Afloat Track programs and
that we are State accredited. (Q10,
Section I(e)(2)): U.S. Department of
Education Accrediting Agency XYZ
accreditation (Q10, Section I(e)(2)(i).
Information To Include in Your
Application
Including the following information
will greatly assist our review process:
1. Letter applying for CoE designation
from the Chief Executive of the
applicant institution.
2. Applicant contact information:

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a. Legal name of applicant institution
and address.
b. Chief executive’s name, position
title, address, phone number(s) and
email.
c. Points of contact (POC) name(s),
position titles, phone number(s), emails.
3. Indicate if the applicant institution
is claiming eligibility for the CoE
program as a ‘‘Community or Technical
College’’ or ‘‘Maritime Training Center’’,
and submit the following supporting
information and documents:
a. Charter, Articles of Incorporation,
Certificate of Incorporation, or
equivalent, if applicable.
b. Certificate of Status (also known as
Certificate of Existence or Certificate of
Good Standing), a document issued by
a State official (usually the Secretary of
State), if applicable.
c. State operation or State supervision
validation documents, if applicable.
d. Non-Profit certification, if
applicable.
e. Accreditation approval letter(s)
from an accrediting agency(ies).
f. Approval letter from a State
Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) in
accordance with 29 CFR part 29, if
applicable.
g. Approval letter from the State’s
Department of Education or equivalent
State agency, if applicable.
h. Approval letter from the United
States Coast Guard (USCG), if
applicable.
i. ISO 9001 or other quality
management certification (Maritime
Training Centers only), if applicable.
j. Data and statistics to demonstrate
institutional effectiveness. This should
include, but not be limited to,
recruitment data, past/current
enrollment (trends), attrition rates,
student program completion data, postprogram job and placement statistics (to
the extent available to the institution),
and program effectiveness feedback
from students, faculty, alumni, and
other stakeholders.
4. Indicate that the applicant offers
one or more Afloat Career preparation
tracks and/or one or more Ashore Career
preparation tracks in the United States
Maritime Industry and submit the
following supporting information:
a. Program summary;
b. A description of applicable courses
offered (only relevant maritime related
program-specific pages from the
catalogue);
c. If applicable, letters of
authorization and/or endorsement of the
course/program and/or course(s) by an
applicable professional society or
industry body (including, but not
limited to Welding, Electrician,
Electronics, Maritime Construction,

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Maritime Logistics, Maritime Systems,
etc.) to issue industry accepted
certifications that reflect a
professionally recognized level of
educational or technical skill
achievement; and
d. Any other relevant supporting
documentation.
Note: Applicant institutions offering
both Ashore and Afloat Career tracks are
encouraged to submit supporting
information for both tracks.
5. Applicant institutions offering
Afloat Career and/or Ashore Career
tracks should indicate that they have
satisfied accreditation requirements, as
set forth below:
a. ‘‘Community and Technical
Colleges’’ hold current accreditation of
the institution from a Regional
Accreditation Agency or a Nationally
Recognized Agency on the list of
Accrediting Agencies approved by the
U.S. Department of Education.
b. ‘‘Maritime Training Centers’’ hold
current accreditation—
i. either of the institution from a
Regional Accreditation Agency or a
Nationally Recognized; Agency on the
list of Accrediting Agencies approved
by the U.S. Department of Education; or
ii. of the maritime training program
offered by the institution from one or
more of the following:
A. A State Apprenticeship Agency
(SAA) in accordance with 29 CFR part
29,
B. the State’s Department of
Education or equivalent State agency,
C. the United States Coast Guard
(USCG), if applicable; or
D. other appropriate external review
body which is specifically authorized to
review and validate post-secondary
education programs and is acceptable to
MARAD.
6. All applicant institutions may
submit a brief narrative statement for
one or more qualitative attributes
fostered by the institution to accomplish
the following:
a. Support the workforce needs of the
local, state, or regional economy;
b. Build the STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Math)
competencies of local/future workforce
to meet emerging local, regional, and
national economic interests;
c. Promote diversity and inclusion
among the student body;
d. Offer a broad-based curriculum and
stackable credentials, where applicable;
e. Engage and/or collaborate with the
maritime industry, including, but not
limited to employers, associations, and
other industry organizations or partners;
f. Engage and/or collaborate with
employer-led maritime training
practices and programs through Sector

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Partnerships as authorized in the 2014
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act Section 3(26);
g. Engage and/or collaborate with
local and regional maritime high
schools with maritime, maritime
related, Career Technical Education
(CTE) or STEM programs;
h. Engage and/or collaborate with
maritime academies and other
institutions or organizations for
advanced proficiency and higher
education; and
i. Conduct other significant domestic
maritime workforce development
related activities.
7. All applicant institutions may
provide any relevant endorsements,
awards, recognition and significant
accomplishments in support of their
application.
Nothing in this policy requires
MARAD to exercise its discretionary
authority under 46 U.S.C. 54102. This
policy establishes a voluntary program
in which successful applicants may be
designated as a Center of Excellence for
Domestic Maritime Workforce Training
and Education (CoE).
Paperwork Reduction Act
The information collection
requirements in the final CoE
designation policy have been approved
under information collection number
2133–0549 by the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501,
et seq. In accordance with 5 CFR
1320.5(b)(2)(i), persons are not required
to provide information to the
Government unless the information
collection displays a current and valid
OMB control number. This application
process is operating under the following
current and valid OMB control number:
2133–0549.
(Authority: The National Defense
Authorization Act of 2018, Pub. L. 115–91
(December 12, 2017), 46 U.S.C. 54102, The
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C.
Chapter 35, as amended, 49 CFR 1.49)
Dated: October 20, 2020.
By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr.,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020–23490 Filed 10–22–20; 8:45 am]
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